The Prophets Remained Faithful, and We Can Too

The Prophets Remained Faithful, and We Can Too

The Prophets Remained Faithful, and We Can Too

And We Can Too

Hollie Roberts

BSF Executive Director |

God’s call to be a Teaching Leader was so clear. Yet just three weeks into the new role, I was questioning my abilities with a trusted friend. I hoped she would say, “Hollie, you are doing just fine.” Instead she said, “That is not yours to judge. You are simply asked to be faithful to God’s call and trust that He will work in you and through you.” I was stunned, yet I needed the clarity and honesty of her words.  

I will never forget the freedom of confessing, “Lord, I know that I am not enough, but You are.” That simple prayer gave me the courage to trust Almighty God in my weakness. To this day, I echo those words often.  

When we surrender our lives to Christ, we commit to go where He leads and act as He directs. But sometimes God’s call can feel overwhelming. Is He really asking me to surrender my comfort? Does He honestly expect me to sacrifice my time, money, or relationships? God’s call on our lives often strains the limits of our faith and our abilities. 

We are challenged to ask, “How far will I go? Am I willing to let God disrupt my ordinary life to pursue His extraordinary purpose?” 

As we consider these difficult questions, we find hope and courage in the lives of the Old Testament prophets. 

{

How far will I go? Am I willing to let God disrupt my ordinary life to pursue His extraordinary purpose?

{

They found hope in God’s character

Through men like Elijah, Hosea, Isaiah, and their contemporaries, we discover that God gave these faithful servants a humanly impossible task —to preach repentance to a people who refused to repent. 

How did these men find hope in a season that seemed hopeless?  

They relied on God’s character instead of their own.  

In choosing Isaiah, God asked him to leave a life of prosperity and influence to embrace the call to preach and, in turn, to suffer. In Isaiah 6, when God asked, “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah responded, “Here am I. Send me!” When Isaiah asked, “For how long, Lord?” God responded, “… until the Lord has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken.”  

From a worldly perspective, Isaiah’s ministry was impossible. But Isaiah’s hope stretched beyond his circumstances. He trusted God’s Word because He knew God’s character. God said, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you” (Isaiah 46:4). And Isaiah believed.  

Though the Israelites did not repent, God used Isaiah’s work to strengthen and encourage His people for generations. Thousands of years later, God is still using the book of Isaiah to change the hearts and minds of those who read it.  

{

God does not call His people to empty work, even when we struggle to understand His purpose.

{

God does not call His people to empty work, even when we struggle to understand His purpose. When we face a seemingly impossible task, God simply asks us to respond in faith, “Here am I. Send me!” 

When we cling to God’s character, He offers hope. He promises to sustain and carry His people.  

They found courage in God’s Word

Several years into my role as a Teaching Leader, I experienced an incredibly difficult year. It was one of those seasons when life seemed to unravel one thread at a time. I thought, “If God’s call is going to be this difficult, I want out.” Like Elijah in 1 Kings 19:4, I prayed, “I have had enough, Lord.” 

In Elijah’s desperation, God spoke with a whisper, and Elijah found courage in the Word of the Lord. When God spoke to Elijah, He revealed a plan that stretched beyond Elijah’s circumstances—a plan to inspire a new generation of prophets. Elijah’s mission did not change. He was still hunted and despised. He was still called to preach to a rebellious nation. But Elijah’s perspective changed—as He trusted God’s Word to sustain him. 

Through the prophets, we see this again and again. When Jeremiah said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young,” God responded, “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you” (Jeremiah 1:6, 8). God faithfully established Jeremiah’s confidence.  

{

We find that God's call still stretches the limits of our faith.

{

Maybe you can relate. During that difficult season years ago, I turned to God’s Word for comfort. Through Scripture, God gave me even more—I found courage. Through those painful circumstances, God prepared me to serve in a role I never expected—as BSF’s Executive Director. Once again, God affirmed that He never wastes our struggles.  

As we look forward to our study of John, we find that God’s call still stretches the limits of our faith. But the words of Jesus give us hope and courage: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). 

With your BSF group this year, you have studied God’s character through the words and lives of His prophets. Where have you found hope? Where do you need courage? I pray that together we will be people who faithfully respond to God’s call. A people who say, “Here am I. Send me!” 

About the Author

Hollie Roberts stepped into the Executive Director role in September 2021 after serving as BSF’s Chief Field Development Officer. Hollie and her husband Kevin have two sons, a daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren.

Summary

Related Articles

The Final Words of Jesus

Three reasons peace can be yours today Guest Contributor “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”  These are the final words spoken by Jesus on the cross.  The heartbreak of false accusations, betrayal, abandonment, and the crowds cheering for crucifixion have...

3 Lessons from a Brutal Cross

Three reasons peace can be yours today Guest Contributor The cross.   It’s a symbol revered all over the world. We put crosses inside church sanctuaries and on our worship facilities. Some churches are built in the shape of a cross.   We put crosses at graveyards....

4 Reasons the Resurrection Is Good News

Three reasons peace can be yours todayGuest ContributorAll over the world, Easter Sunday will be marked by unique celebrations. Christians will rejoice in the empty tomb. It’s more than a date on the church’s calendar. Resurrection Sunday defines Christianity.  Do you...

The Significance of Shepherds in the Bible

Connecting the Old and New TestamentsFrom the Editorial TeamThe Bible tells us a single story, weaving together threads from the Old and New Testaments. Discover how the Old Testament points to Jesus from our study of John’s Gospel: The Truth.“The Lord is my shepherd,...

Submit a Comment

Our BSF staff approves each comment to maintain privacy and security. It may take 24-48 hours for your comment to be posted. Be sure to check back for replies from the author or other BSF members!

Turn Your Sorrow To Praise

Turn Your Sorrow To Praise

Turn Your Sorrow To Praise

Learn the Language of Lament

Mark Vroegop

Guest Contributor |

The Bible commands believers to rejoice in all circumstances.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…

James 1:2

It’s clear that Christians should not allow the pains of life to steal our joy in God. We should embrace the brokenness in the world with a hopeful confidence. That’s true and biblical.

But how do we get there?

I find that most Christians strongly believe a joyful response should characterize their suffering. But they don’t know how to reconcile their deep questions, honest struggles, and nagging doubts with the command to “give thanks in all circumstances.” The gap between their internal struggles and what they believe can feel like a canyon of a faith crisis.

The result is often two extremes. On the one hand, I’ve seen people fake their way through pain. They tell people, “I’m fine,” when nothing could be further from the truth. On the other hand, the enemy can use this struggle to cause them to doubt either the substance of their faith or even the legitimacy of Christianity.

Something’s missing.

The Language of Lament

Like a few pieces missing in a puzzle, adding the language of lament completes the picture.

This historic minor-key language creates a pathway to praise. It bridges the gap between a hard life and trusting in God’s sovereignty. Lament is a divinely-given liturgy for processing our pain so that we can rejoice.

Lament is a prayer in pain that leads to trust. It is not only how Christians grieve; it is the way Christians praise God through their sorrows. Lament is a pathway to praise when life gets hard.

The Psalms are full of laments. Over a third of the official song-book of God’s people uses this minor-key language to wrestle honestly with the complicated contours of pain. The journey, however, does more than struggle. Laments use the honest expression of grief in order to deepen our confidence in God’s grace.

{

Lament is a pathway to praise when life gets hard.

{

Most laments include four key elements. They are not always in a linear order since laments are poetic and musical expressions. But there is a pattern that can be practiced when “rejoicing always” feels far away. The elements of lament are:

  1. Turning to God in prayer
  2. Bringing our complaints
  3. Asking boldly
  4. Choosing to trust (or praise)

The Psalms, however, are not the only place where lament is sung. Throughout the history of God’s people, they’ve used this historic prayer language when dark clouds rolled in. The entire book of Lamentations mourns over the destruction of Jerusalem. And yet Jeremiah refuses to allow his heart to crumble.

I remember my affliction and my wandering
the bitterness and the gall.
I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

Lamentations 3:19-22

Lament enters the complicated space of deep disappointment and lingering hurt. And it boldly reaffirms the trustworthiness of God. It’s a helpful and life-giving language that transforms our pains into platforms of praise instead of pits of despair.

Learning to Lament

Unfortunately, I don’t know many contemporary Christians who know how to lament. Our celebratory singing, while not wrong, doesn’t usually lead us through our sorrows. It just drowns out the struggles with invitations to rejoice. But embracing joy without wrestling with tough questions can feel incomplete—even fake.

{

We need to learn how to lament to turn our sorrow to joy.

{

We need to learn how to lament to turn our sorrow to joy. Let me briefly highlight the four elements of lament so that the next time grief enters your world, you’ll know how to walk the path toward trusting praise.

1. Turn to God

Unfortunately, pain creates a strong temptation to give God the silent treatment. Confusion, exhaustion and disappointment can cause us to retreat from the One who knows our sorrows. Even worse, we can allow the poisonous mist of bitterness or anger to sweep in, creating a fog of unbelief.

Lament talks to God about our pain even if it’s messy. It takes faith to lament. Silence is easier but unhealthy. Lament draws upon what we believe, and it talks to God as we walk through hardship. Consider the gut-level honesty of Psalm 77.

I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.
When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands,
and I would not be comforted.
I remembered you, God, and I groaned.
I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.

psalm 77:1-3

Even though comfort feels distant and God seems far away, the psalmist reaches out to God. Laments invite us to do the same—to keep crying out in prayer through the ups and downs of hardship.

2. Complain

The second step in lament is candidly talking to God about what is wrong. Biblical complaint vocalizes circumstances and feelings that do not seem to fit with God’s character or His purposes. While the psalmist knows God is in control, there are times when it feels as if He’s not. When it seems that God’s purposes aren’t loving, lament invites us to talk to God about it.

Instead of hiding our struggles, lament gives us permission to verbalize the tension. Psalm 13 begins this way. The psalmist wrestles with why God isn’t doing more.

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

psalm 13:1-2

Biblical complaining is not venting your sinful anger toward God. It’s merely telling God about your struggles. And the more honest we can be, the sooner we are able to move to the next element.

3. Ask Boldly

Christians lament because the events of life seem to be incompatible with God’s promises. Lament not only acknowledges this tension, but it invites struggling believers to keep calling upon God to act. But lament seeks more than relief; it yearns for God to bring the deliverance that fits with His character. Godly lamenters keep asking even when the answer is delayed.

Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

psalm 13:1-2

Lament affirms the applicability of God’s promises by asking again and again for divine help. In so doing, these requests become hopeful reminders of what God can do. Asking boldly serves to strengthen our resolve to not give up. But it also encourages us to embrace the destination of all lament: trusting God.

4. Trust God

Renewed confidence in God’s trustworthiness is the destination of all laments. Turning, complaining, and asking lead here. Laments help us through suffering by directing our hearts to make the choice—often daily—to trust in God’s purposes that are hidden behind the pain. In this way, laments are some of the most theologically informed activities of the Christian life.

Laments lead us through our sorrows so that we can trust God and praise Him.

This is how Psalm 13 concludes. Notice the pivot on the word “but” and the direct decision to trust, rejoice, and sing.

But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.

psalm 13:5-6

It is a powerful ending to a blunt and honest Psalm. Every lament is designed to become this kind of pathway to praise. This minor-key song expresses the full range of human emotions so that we draw the right conclusion: “hard is hard, but hard is not bad.”

Conduit for praise

Once you learn the language of lament, you can begin to understand what was happening in the past. I’ve had many conversations with tear-filled people as they lamented their messy journey. Still others felt relieved because they wondered if they were being sinful because of the complicated emotions they battled. Lament gave them a voice and a process for their pain.

Lament can become a conduit for our praise. We can lead our sorrows, fears, and doubts through this historical prayer form. Our prayer times can mirror the inspired struggles in the Psalms. We can offer our own prayers using the turn, complain, ask, and trust process. There are over 40 Psalms that reflect this sorrow-to-praise language. We should take heart that the Bible gives us this quantity of songs to sing.

Knowing you should rejoice without understanding the path can be disheartening—even leading to despair. Laments provide the way for moving through loss to hope.

And by learning this language, we receive the grace God provides through this minor-key melody. We can discover a path to praise when lament is the song we sing.

This article is an adaptation of a blog post published at markvroegop.com. 

About the Author

Mark Vroegop is the lead pastor of College Park Church in Indianapolis and the author of three books, including Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament. He’s married to Sarah, and they have three married sons and a daughter. 

Summary

Related Articles

The Final Words of Jesus

Three reasons peace can be yours today Guest Contributor “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”  These are the final words spoken by Jesus on the cross.  The heartbreak of false accusations, betrayal, abandonment, and the crowds cheering for crucifixion have...

3 Lessons from a Brutal Cross

Three reasons peace can be yours today Guest Contributor The cross.   It’s a symbol revered all over the world. We put crosses inside church sanctuaries and on our worship facilities. Some churches are built in the shape of a cross.   We put crosses at graveyards....

4 Reasons the Resurrection Is Good News

Three reasons peace can be yours todayGuest ContributorAll over the world, Easter Sunday will be marked by unique celebrations. Christians will rejoice in the empty tomb. It’s more than a date on the church’s calendar. Resurrection Sunday defines Christianity.  Do you...

The Significance of Shepherds in the Bible

Connecting the Old and New TestamentsFrom the Editorial TeamThe Bible tells us a single story, weaving together threads from the Old and New Testaments. Discover how the Old Testament points to Jesus from our study of John’s Gospel: The Truth.“The Lord is my shepherd,...

Submit a Comment

Our BSF staff approves each comment to maintain privacy and security. It may take 24-48 hours for your comment to be posted. Be sure to check back for replies from the author or other BSF members!

5 Reasons to Study Lamentations

5 Reasons to Study Lamentations

5 Reasons to Study Lamentations

Recovering the language of lament

By Mark Vroegop, Guest Contributor 

Memorials matter. 

Consider the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., the Jewish Museum Berlin, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Japan, or the National Center for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama. They are designed to help people remember, to mourn, and to learn. Memorials honor history and send a message. 

The book of Lamentations is a memorial, and you should study this historic book. 

A few years ago, our church spent five weeks studying Lamentations. Some were nervous about how our church would respond to over a month of such a dark book. But it proved to be one of the most fruitful seasons in the last 10 years. Lamentations changed our worship, affected our prayers, and gave us a new language in suffering. 

There are many reasons why you should study through this book. Allow me to give you five.

Lamentations is the longest lament in the Bible.

1. Lamentations is the longest lament in the Bible.

Lament is a language the Church desperately needs to recover. Simply defined, “lament” is a prayer in pain that leads to trust. It involves turning to God, laying out what’s wrong (complaint), asking God for help, and choosing to trust.  

Lament is a language the Church desperately needs to recover. 

Over a third of the Psalms are minor-key prayers that give voice to processing the pain of life. And yet, most Christians aren’t familiar with this biblical prayer language. Our congregational singing and our prayers are lament-lite. 

The book of Lamentations demonstrates the purpose and power of lament. It not only serves as a memorial to the destruction of Jerusalem, but it also shows us how to pray when the dark clouds of suffering roll in. When you study Lamentations, hurting people come out of the woodwork. 

Lamentations displays the severity of sin and the holiness of God.

2. Lamentations displays the severity of sin and the holiness of God.

The book is a poetic memorial—a recounting and a warning. It rehearses the suffering and the grief connected to the sacking of the City of David, and it cautions us about what happens when human rebellion reaches a “red line.” 

Lamentations is a deeply theological book. It identifies the depravity of God’s people as the cause of divine judgment. It elevates the right of a holy God to discipline His people—even using a pagan nation as His instrument. The book is shocking. It is sobering. And by preaching through Lamentations, people are reminded that sin is serious, and God is holy. 

Lamentations gives the Church a voice in suffering.

3. Lamentations gives the Church a voice in suffering.

The brokenness of sin has infected every aspect of our humanity. Creation still groans, and Lamentations provides a model for how God’s people can process moments when our collective depravity produces terrible fruits. 

Jeremiah was a faithful prophet. He warned the people about coming judgment. And when the brokenness of humanity was on full display, lament was an appropriate response. It’s the voice of sorrow as we live between the effects of our rebellion and future restoration. Lamentations shows us how to pray when human depravity has created societal suffering. It helps us know how to live between the poles of a hard life and trusting in God’s sovereignty. 

Lamentations provides hope.

4. Lamentations provides hope.

The third chapter contains the most well-known passages. We love reading that “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end” (Lamentations 3:22). But understanding the totality of the book of Lamentations deepens our understanding of where to find hope in hardship. 

Lamentations shows us the connection between the rehearsing of truth and the resurgence of hope. 

It’s important to remember that Jeremiah proclaims the never-ending, morning-ready mercies of the Lord over a destroyed city. Jerusalem looked like a wasteland and a war zone. The destruction raised the question, “How did this happen?” While those questions linger and the suffering continues, Jeremiah pronounces (“this I call to mind,” 3:21) what he knows to be true about God despite what he sees. Lamentations shows us the connection between the rehearsing of truth and the resurgence of hope. 

Lamentations doesn’t end with resolution.

5. Lamentations doesn’t end with resolution.

The book reaches its apex in chapter three. The remaining two chapters return to the reality of the suffering. There is no “happily-ever-after” and the book ends without resolution. Questions remain. Tears are still flowing. But in order to know the rest of the story, you have to look elsewhere in the Bible. 

The end of Lamentations reflects the path of hardship. We believe while still in the dark. Lament leads us through sorrow to trust—even though we can’t see the future. So, in a way, the uncertain nature at the end of Lamentations is refreshing. It shows us how to trust when the immediate future remains uncertain and hard. 

Do you see why Lamentations is important? Too many people fly by this book in their reading. Too many pastors avoid it because of its heaviness. But it’s in the Bible for a reason. 

Lamentations is a memorial. It matters. It’s a powerful lament. And you should study it carefully.   

This article is an adaptation of a blog post first published at 9Marks.org.

Want to study Lamentations with BSF? Join our Jeremiah & Lamentations Mini-Study! Click here to learn more. 

Mark Vroegop

Mark Vroegop is the lead pastor of College Park Church in Indianapolis and the author of three books, including Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament. He’s married to Sarah, and they have three married sons and a daughter. 

Submit a Comment

Our BSF staff approves each comment to maintain privacy and security. It may take 24-48 hours for your comment to be posted. Be sure to check back for replies from the author or other BSF members!

A simple step toward justice and mercy

A simple step toward justice and mercy

A Simple Step toward Justice and Mercy

God shaped Kelsey’s heart for foster care.

By Bennett Rolan, Editorial Manager

Kelsey Anderson silently prayed as she held 18-month-old Jayden* for the last time.  

“Lord, protect this little one. Help me to trust You with his future. Surround him with Your love, protect him, draw him to You.”  

For nine months, Kelsey worked with Jayden as his BSF Children’s Leader. As a foster child, Jayden struggled to make personal connections. Kelsey watched him grow from a terrified infant into an eager toddler – with a heart softened by BSF songs.  

“Almost every single time he would come in, he was crying,” Kelsey said. “He was so scared, so confused. He just didn’t want to participate in anything. We would sit and hold him the whole time. When we started singing, he would settle down. It was his favorite time.” 

After 9 months, Jayden’s foster placement ended – and so did his time in BSF.  

“We got a quick chance to say goodbye,” Kelsey said. “That was really hard. I wanted to control the situation. I wanted to know that he would be OK. I was full of questions.”  

On her knees, Kelsey called out to God. “I prayed for the seeds that had been planted. No matter how much I wanted that little one to know Christ, I had to remember that Christ wanted that more. I had to rest in the knowledge that Jesus was ultimately in control.”  

Kelsey continued as a BSF Children’s Leader, but she never forgot Jayden. For years, she continued to pray for the boy who discovered God’s peace through simple worship.  

“No matter how much I wanted that little one to know Christ, I had to remember that Christ wanted that more.”

God’s heart for justice and mercy

Kelsey stayed in touch with Jayden’s former foster mom. Though they couldn’t know how he was doing, both women continued to pray. They held fast to God’s character and His heart for justice and mercy. 

Six years later, Jayden’s former foster mother had news: through a church connection, she learned that Jayden had returned to the foster system and was placed in a Christian home. As a young child, he continued to struggle. Early in his new placement, Jayden was inconsolable. His new foster family was desperate to help, so they began to sing. To their amazement, one thing calmed Jayden’s troubled heart – BSF songs.  

When Kelsey heard the news, she immediately knew that God had heard her prayers.  

“They were the same songs I used to sing to him while I prayed. These were the seeds that God planted.”  

But there was more. Jayden’s former foster mother shared that by the time he was 8 years old, Jayden had accepted Christ. A short time later, Jayden returned to a family member’s home. He knew that the Holy Spirit was with him. What Jayden didn’t know was that his family member had also made a commitment to follow Jesus. 

“These were the seeds that God planted.”

Justice and mercy in action

During the years Kelsey prayed for Jayden, God worked. In a situation that seemed out of control, God extended justice and mercy. “God was sovereign. I learned that I could rest in His goodness. This little one was taken care of, even when I couldn’t see it.” 

For Kelsey, Jayden represented thousands of children who still needed homes. When she prayed for Jayden, she asked God for direction. Finally, God confirmed her desire to foster and adopt.   

Kelsey’s decision to become a foster parent wasn’t easy. Her conviction was clear, but she struggled with doubts. Kelsey often works night shifts, and her husband has a busy schedule. Would they have time? Did they have the financial resources? Was their home big enough? How would this affect their biological children?  

But God’s call was undeniable, so Kelsey and her family responded in faith. This year, Kelsey and her family are fostering a child for the first time. 

“God was sovereign. I learned I could rest in His goodness.”

“There were times when I didn’t think I would have the strength to do this,” Kelsey shared. “I’m resting in Christ to take it one step at a time. He has been so faithful.” 

Micah 6:8 defines what the Lord requires of His people, “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” For Kelsey, that call was realized through the foster system. But God gives each of us unique opportunities to respond.  

Where is God calling you “to act justly and to love mercy”? Through humble steps of faith, we can walk with God in confidence. 

“It doesn’t have to be something big and grand,” Kelsey said. “We simply have to say, ‘Yes, I will follow you,’ taking one step at a time. We can release our fears to Him because He has been faithful before. Just because the going may be tough, that doesn’t mean it isn’t God’s calling. Our reliance on Him is measured in small steps of faith.”  

* name changed for privacy  

Bennett Rolan

Editorial Manager

Bennett Rolan joined the BSF staff in 2017 after working for several Christian ministries and non-profits. She loves to combine her passion for God’s Word and her journalism background to share stories of God’s work in and through BSF. As a wife to a busy college football coach and a mom to four young children, BSF studies keep her relationship with the Lord grounded and focused. She loves to learn from fellow believers as God faithfully grows her each day.

 

Submit a Comment

Our BSF staff approves each comment to maintain privacy and security. It may take 24-48 hours for your comment to be posted. Be sure to check back for replies from the author or other BSF members!

Is my anger righteous?

Is my anger righteous?

Is My Anger Righteous? 

God calls us to be angry about the right things.

By Paul David Tripp, Guest Contributor 

It’s unavoidable: this week you were angry. Everyone was in some way. When you look back on your anger, what do you see? 

The prophet Micah writes, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). This passage calls us to a lifestyle of righteous anger. 

But how do we know if our anger is considered “righteous” by God?  

Righteous anger is selfless

In Micah 6:8, the Lord requires us to 1) act justly, 2) love mercy, and 3) walk humbly.  

Ask yourself: What will cause me to act justly? Is it not righteous indignation at the perversion of justice, which causes innocent people to suffer and permits the guilty to go free? What will cause me to respond to others in mercy? Is it not anger at the suffering around me in this broken world? If I want to be part of what God is doing, will I not hate what He hates? 

If I want to be part of what God is doing, will I not hate what He hates?

Suffering must not be okay with us. Injustice must not be okay with us. The immorality of the culture around us must not be okay with us. The deceit of the atheistic worldview, the philosophical paradigm of many culture-shaping institutions, must not be okay with us. 

Righteous anger should yank us out of selfish passivity. Righteous anger should call us to join God’s revolution of grace. It should propel us to do anything we can to lift the load of people’s suffering, through the zealous ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to bring them into the freedom of God’s truth. 

Righteous anger is compassionate

What does this holy anger look like? It’s kind and compassionate. It’s tender and giving. It’s patient and persevering. It’ll make your heart open and your conscience sensitive. 

Though you are busy, it will cause you to slow down and pay attention. It’ll cause you to expand the borders of your concern beyond you and yours. It’ll cost you money, time, energy, and strength. It’ll fill your schedule and complicate your life. It’ll mean sacrifice and suffering. 

When your anger is righteous, you won’t be content with comfort and ease. When you’re both good and angry, you won’t fill your life so full meeting your own needs or realizing your own ministry dreams that you’ve little time for being God’s tool to meet the needs of others. 

But all of this requires a fight. Not a fight with people or social movements or political institutions. No, this is an internal fight. It’s a fight for the heart.  

Kindness, compassion, gentleness, mercy, love, patience, and grace don’t come naturally to us. They only come when powerful, transforming grace progressively wins the fight for our hearts. Only grace can win the fight between God’s will and our will, between God’s plan and our plan, between God’s desire and our desire, and between God’s sovereignty and our quest for self-rule. As long as sin still lives in our hearts, this fight rages in every situation and location of our lives. 

Only grace can win the fight between God’s will and our will.

Righteous anger desires good

If we’re ever going to be tools of the gracious anger of a righteous and loving God, we must begin by admitting the coldness and selfishness of our own hearts. We must cry out for the rescue that only His grace can give. We must pray for seeing eyes and willing hearts. We must make strategic decisions to put ourselves where need exists. We must determine to slow down so that when opportunities for mercy present themselves, we’re not too distracted or too busy. 

Most of all, those of us who’ve been called to represent the character and call of God in local church ministry need to pray that we would be righteously angry. We must pray that a holy zeal for what’s right and good would so fill our hearts that the evils greeting us daily would not be okay with us. 

We must be agitated and restless until His kingdom has finally come, and His will is finally being done on earth as it is in heaven. 

We must pray that we’d be angry in this way until there’s no reason to be angry anymore. And we must be vigilant, looking for every opportunity to express the righteous indignation of justice, mercy, wisdom, grace, compassion, patience, perseverance, and love. We must be agitated and restless until His kingdom has finally come, and His will is finally being done on earth as it is in heaven. For the sake of God’s honor and His kingdom, we must determine to be good and angry at the same time. 

As you look back on your week, evaluate your anger: Did your anger result from building your temporary kingdom or seeking God’s eternal kingdom? Did your anger propel you to be a healer, a restorer, a rescuer, and a reconciler? Or did your anger leave a legacy of fear, hurt, disappointment, and division? 

God calls you to be good, and He calls you to be angry at the same time. This broken world desperately needs people who will answer His call. 

Paul David Tripp

Dr. Paul David Tripp (M.Div, Westminster Theological Seminary), a longtime fan of BSF, is a pastor, speaker, and award-winning author known for the bestselling everyday devotional New Morning Mercies. He and his wife, Luella, recently celebrated 50 years of marriage. They live in Philadelphia and have four adult children and six grandchildren.

Submit a Comment

Our BSF staff approves each comment to maintain privacy and security. It may take 24-48 hours for your comment to be posted. Be sure to check back for replies from the author or other BSF members!

How does Isaiah speak today?

How does Isaiah speak today?

How Does Isaiah Speak Today?

God promised salvation to a people headed for destruction. Isaiah’s “Servant Songs” offered hope and they continue to speak to us today.

Our View of God Shapes Who We Are

by Hollie Roberts | Lessons from Isaiah - Episode 3

This excerpt is from a pre-recorded lecture by BSF Executive Director Hollie Roberts.

Portions of this lecture may be used in part by BSF teaching teams or online groups. 

Transcripts 

English

(Transcript) Isaiah Chapter 42, verses 1 through 9, is the first of what some call the “Servant Songs” in the book of Isaiah. There are four of them, and the Servant Songs describe one who is coming using this servant language. Sometimes the servant language is used in Scripture to describe Israel, but these four servant songs clearly describe a different, unparalleled servant, one who will actually do perfectly what Israel was unable to do perfectly. And each Servant Song has a specific focus, and together they paint a picture — the Messiah, the one who is coming to save. 

So, in Chapter 42, verses 1 through 9, we get a bit about the person and the work of the servant: “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged until he establishes justice on earth. And in his teaching the islands will put their hope.” 

What God’s promises reveal

God is saying His servant will be His chosen one for Israel and for the nations. And then in this servant, in his teaching, you will find hope, justice, and deliverance. Now God speaks about what the servant will do as if God is speaking about Himself — this servant, unparalleled, unrivaled, unlike all others. God extends hope through the servant language that He will save His people. Listen to how it keeps going and how it changes. 

“This is what God the Lord says — the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spread out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to who walk on it: ‘I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness.’” So while He starts by talking about this servant, He shifts to say, “I the Lord, have called you in righteousness. I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind and free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory [or praise] to another.” 

God is holding out hope to a rebellious people. God is promising a servant, one like no other, to a rebellious people. God promises justice to a people prone to injustice. God promises people a salvation they cannot accomplish themselves. And as we read these Servant Songs understanding what we know about the rest of Scripture, we see this can only be talking about Jesus. In fact, Jesus will actually attribute some of these verses to Himself in the gospel accounts when John the Baptist says, “Is it really you?” Actually, it’s John the Baptist who sends his disciples to say, “Is it really you? Are you the one we’ve been waiting on?” 

You know what God is telling us here is God is revealing who He is. And frankly, we make so many mistakes and misjudgments in life because we don’t really understand who God is. We are anxious and fearful and without hope when we do not rightly understand God. Let me say it differently. We do not have to be anxious, fearful, or hopeless when we rightly understand who God is. You see, we cannot and will not know true comfort when we do not understand who God is. 

Why our view of God matters

Are you struggling in this world? Maybe it’s because of how you view God. Maybe it’s because you are searching for comfort in the wrong places and people and outcomes. God builds a case for all people, explaining who He is and that no idol can compare. And that reveals a critical truth that rises from this passage. The truth is God’s heart to save is revealed in who He is. God’s heart to save is revealed in who He is. 

Have you ever felt misjudged because you were misunderstood? Or maybe I should say it this way: hasn’t everyone at some point felt misjudged because they were misunderstood? God’s salvation is tied up in who God is; and when you take the time to learn about God and who He is, then you begin to see Him rightly. 

I know you must want to know about God because you’re studying with us at BSF. You don’t come here because you don’t want to know about God. And let me tell you that the journey to knowing God is like going into the ocean. You can start with your toe, you can go in ankle deep, you can go waist-high, or you can spend the rest of your life attempting to plumb the depths of the ocean. 

Some of us have gotten comfortable in the position where we are, but I would ask you would you receive God’s invitation to come deeper, to grow deeper in your knowledge of Him, to continue on this journey of learning. If you are one toe in, would you come ankle deep? If you are waist deep, would you go in neck deep? If you are neck deep, would you just dive in? 

You know, I don’t know how you view God right now, but I promise you that when you dive in to get to know Him, you will find a gracious, compassionate, loving, wise, eternal, just, and unchanging God. And you will realize on that journey that God’s heart to save is because of who He is, and His heart to save is accomplished by what He has done. 

Spanish

El capitulo 42 de Isaías versículos del 1 al 9, es el primero de lo que algunos llaman los “Cantos del Siervo” en el libro de Isaías.

Hay cuatro de ellos, y los cantos de siervo describen a uno que viene usando este lenguaje de siervo. A veces el lenguaje de siervo se usa en las escrituras para describir a Israel, pero estos cuatros cantos de siervo describen claramente a un siervo diferente, incomparable, uno que realmente hará a la perfección lo que Israel no pudo hacer perfectamente. Y cada canto de Siervo tiene un enfoque especifico, y juntos pintan un cuadro de el Mesías, Él que viene a salvar.

Así, en el capitulo 42 versículos del 1 al 9 se nos habla un poco de la persona y la obra del siervo: “Aquí esta mi siervo al que yo sostengo, mi elegido, en el que me complazco; pondré mi Espíritu sobre Él y hará justicia a las naciones. No gritara, ni clamara, ni alzara su voz en las calles, no romperá la caña cascada, ni apagara el pábilo ardiente. En la fidelidad traerá la justicia, no vacilara ni se desanimará hasta que establezca la justicia en la tierra. Y en su enseñanza pondrán su esperanza las islas.”

 

Lo que demuestran las promesas de Dios

Dios esta diciendo que su siervo será Su elegido para Israel y para las naciones. Y entonces, en ese siervo, en su enseñanza encontraran esperanza, justicia y liberación. Ahora, Dios habla de lo que hará el siervo, como si Dios estuviera hablando de Si mismo – este siervo incomparable, sin rival, distinto a todos los demás. Dios extiende la esperanza a través del lenguaje del siervo de que Él salvara a su pueblo. Escucha, escucha como sigue y como cambia.  

“Así dice Dios el Señor, Él que creo y desplego los cielos. Él que expandió la tierra y todo lo que ella produce, Él que da aliento al pueblo que la habita y vida a los que en ella se mueven. “Yo, el Señor te he llamado en justicia, te he tomado de la mano, Yo te formé, Yo te constituí como pacto para el pueblo, como luz para las naciones. Para abrir los ojos de los ciegos. Para librar de la cárcel a los presos y del calabozo a los que habitan en tinieblas. Yo soy el Señor, ese es mi nombre. No entrego a otros mi gloria ni mi alabanza a los ídolos.”

Dios ofrece esperanza a un pueblo rebelde. Dios esta prometiendo un siervo, uno como ningún otro, a un pueblo rebelde. Dios promete justicia a un pueblo propenso a la injusticia. Dios promete al pueblo una salvación que no puede revelar por si mismo y al leer estos Cantos de Siervo, entendiendo lo que sabemos del resto de la Escritura, vemos que esto solo puede estar hablando de Jesús. De hecho, Jesús se atribuirá a si mismo algunos de estos versos en los relatos evangélicos cuando Juan el Bautista diga: ¿eres tu realmente? En realidad, es Juan el Bautista quien envía a sus discípulos decir ¿eres tu realmente? ¿eres tu el que hemos estado esperando? 

Lo que Dios nos esta diciendo aquí es que Dios esta revelando quien es Él. Y francamente cometemos tantos errores y juicios erróneos en la vida, porque no entendemos realmente quien es Dios. Estamos ansiosos y temerosos y sin esperanza cuando no entendemos bien a Dios. Permítanme decirlo de otra manera, no tenemos que estar ansiosos, temerosos o sin esperanza cuando entendemos correctamente quien es Dios. Ahora, no podemos y no conoceremos el verdadero consuelo mientras no entendamos quien es Dios.

 

La razón por la cual nuestro entendimiento de Dios es importante

¿Estás luchando en este mundo? Tal vez sea por la forma en que ves a Dios. Tal vez sea porque estas buscando consuelo en los lugares, personas y en resultados equivocados. Dios construye un caso para todas las personas explicando quien es Él y que ningún ídolo puede comparase. Y eso revela una verdad critica que se desprende de este pasaje. La verdad es que el corazón de Dios para salvar se revela en quien es Él. He aquí el principio, el corazón de Dios para salvar se revela en quien es Él.

¿Alguna vez te has sentido mal juzgado porque te han malinterpretado? O tal vez debería decirlo así: ¿no se ha sentido todo el mundo en algún momento mal juzgado porque ha sido incomprendido? La salvación de Dios esta ligada a quien es Dios, y cuando te tomas el tiempo para aprender sobre Dios y quien es Él, entonces comienzas a verlo correctamente.

Se que debes querer saber sobre Dios porque estas estudiando con nosotros en BSF. No vienes aquí porque no quieres saber sobre de Dios. Y déjame decirte que el viaje para conocer a Dios es como adentrase en el océano. Puedes empezar con el dedo del pie, puedes entrar hasta los tobillos, puedes llegar hasta la cintura, o puedes pasar el resto de tu vida intentando sondear las profundidades del océano.

Algunos de nosotros nos hemos acomodado en la posición en la que estamos, pero yo te preguntaría si recibieras la invitación de Dios para ir mas profundo, para crecer mas en su conocimiento de Él, para continuar en este viaje de aprendizaje. ¿Si estas con un dedo del pie, llegarías hasta los tobillos? ¿si estas hasta la cintura, te meterías hasta el cuello? ¿si estas hasta el cuello, te sumergirías?

Sabes, no se como ves a Dios en este momento, pero te prometo que cuando te sumerjas para conocerlo, encontraras a un Dios misericordioso, compasivo, amoroso, sabio, eterno, justo e inmutable. Y te darás cuenta en ese viaje que el corazón de Dios para salvar es por lo que Él es. Y su corazón para salvar se revela por lo que Él ha hecho.

Simplified Chinese

以赛亚书第 42 章 1 至 9 节,是这卷书中所谓仆人之歌的第一首。这卷书共有四首仆人之歌, 这些诗歌使用仆人这个语词描绘了将要来的那一位。圣经有时候以仆人这个词来描绘以色列,但 是这四首仆人之歌显然是在描写一位无与伦比的仆人,他实际上将完全做到以色列所不能完全做 到的事情。这每一首仆人之歌都有一个特定的焦点。它们一起描绘了弥赛亚,也就是要来施行拯 救的那一位。

在 42 章 1 至 9 节,我们对于这位仆人的位格与工作有些认识。“看哪,我的仆人—我所扶持 所拣选、心里所喜悦的!我已将我的灵赐给他;他必将公理传给外邦。他不喧嚷,不扬声,也不 使街上听见他的声音。压伤的芦苇,他不折断;将残的灯火,他不吹灭。他凭真实将公理传开。 他不灰心,也不丧胆,直到他在地上设立公理;海岛都等候他的训诲。”

上帝说的是这位仆人就是祂为以色列和列国拣选的那一位。你们要在这位仆人身上和祂的教 导中寻得盼望、公义与拯救。上帝在谈论这位仆人要做的事情时,仿佛就是在谈论祂自己一样。 这位仆人无与伦比,无可匹敌,无人像祂。上帝透过这仆人的用语,表明祂要拯救祂的百姓,给 人带来盼望。听听他如何继续下去,如何的变化。

蒙应许的子民:王国分裂 第 20 课| mybsf.org 讲稿 (06.2022)_SC | 3

“创造诸天,铺张穹苍,将地和地所出的一并铺开,赐气息给地上的众人,又赐灵性给行在 其上之人的上帝耶和华,他如此说:我—耶和华凭公义召你。”虽然祂一开始讲的是这位仆人, 但后来祂话锋一转,开始说,“我—耶和华凭公义召你,必搀扶你的手,保守你,使你作众民的 中保,作外邦人的光,开瞎子的眼,领被囚的出牢狱,领坐黑暗的出监牢。我是耶和华,这是我 的名;我必不将我的荣耀归给假神。”

上帝给悖逆的百姓带来盼望。上帝应许将赐给悖逆百姓一位绝无仅有的仆人。上帝应许那容 易遭受不义的百姓要得到公义。上帝应许百姓要得到他们自己无法成就的救恩。当我们在阅读这 些仆人诗歌时,结合我们对其他圣经书卷的了解,我们看到这里的仆人指的只能是耶稣。在福音 书的叙事中,耶稣确实将这里的一些经文拿来指祂自己。比如施洗约翰说,“那真的是你吗?” 实际上是施洗约翰派祂的门徒去说:“那将要来的是你吗,还是我们等候别人呢?”

我们知道上帝在这里告诉我们的,是祂在启示祂是谁。坦白来说,我们在生活中犯了许多的 错误,做了太多的误判,都是因为我们没有真正了解上帝是谁。我们如果不能对上帝有正确的认 识,就会焦虑、害怕、失去盼望。让我换一种说法,当我们对上帝有正确的理解时,我们就不需 要焦虑、害怕或绝望。我们若不了解上帝是谁,就不能也不会知道什么是真正的安慰。

你是否在这个世界中苦苦挣扎?也许这是因为你对上帝的看法、也许是因为你在错误的地 方、错误的人和错误的结果中寻求安慰。上帝向所有人提供了祂是谁的解释,没有任何偶像能跟 祂相比。这也揭示了这处经文所包含的一个重要的属灵原则,那就是上帝拯救的心意借着祂的所 是彰显出来。

 你是否曾因为别人对你误解而觉得受到不公的判断?或者我应该换种说法,每个人不是都曾 有因被人误解,而感觉受到不公的判断吗?上帝的救恩与祂的身分紧密相连,当你花时间了解上 帝和祂是谁时,你就会慢慢对祂有正确的认识。

我知道你肯定想认识上帝,因为你和我们一起在研读圣经团契中学习。你如果不想认识上 帝,就不会来这里。认识上帝的旅程就像进入大海一样。你可以从脚趾先踩进海里开始,可以到 脚踝的深度,然后到腰部,或是你可以用尽一生来探索海底的深度。

我们当中有些人可能对现在的位置感到安逸,但我想问你们,是否愿意接受上帝的邀请,进 到更深之处,越深地认识祂,继续这个学习之旅?如果你只有一只脚趾踏入,你是否愿意进到脚 踝的深度?如果你已经到了腰部,你是否可以再深入到脖子的地方?如果你已经深入到了脖子的 深度,你是否愿意潜入水中?

我不知道你现在对上帝的看法如何,但我向你保证如果你愿意潜到水里来认识祂,你会找到 一位有恩典、慈悲、仁爱、智慧、永恒、公义、永不改变的上帝,你会在这个旅途中认识到上帝 之所以愿意施行拯救,都是因为祂是谁。 祂拯救的心是借着祂所做的工而成就。

Traditional Chinese

以賽亞書第42章1至9節,是這卷書中所謂僕人之歌的第一首。這卷書共有四首僕人之歌,這些詩歌使用僕人這個語詞描繪了將要來的那一位。聖經有時候以僕人這個詞來描繪以色列,但是這四首僕人之歌顯然是在描寫一位無與倫比的僕人,他實際上將完全做到以色列所不能完全做到的事情。這每一首僕人之歌都有一個特定的焦點。它們一起描繪了彌賽亞,也就是要來施行拯救的那一位。

在42章1至9節,我們對於這位僕人的位格與工作有些認識。「看哪,我的僕人—我所扶持所揀選、心裡所喜悅的!我已將我的靈賜給他;他必將公理傳給外邦。他不喧嚷,不揚聲,也不使街上聽見他的聲音。壓傷的蘆葦,他不折斷;將殘的燈火,他不吹滅。他憑真實將公理傳開。他不灰心,也不喪膽,直到他在地上設立公理;海島都等候他的訓誨。」

上帝說的是這位僕人就是祂為以色列和列國揀選的那一位。你們要在這位僕人身上和祂的教導中尋得盼望、公義與拯救。上帝在談論這位僕人要做的事情時,彷彿就是在談論祂自己一樣。這位僕人無與倫比,無可匹敵,無人像祂。上帝透過這僕人的用語,表明祂要拯救祂的百姓,給人帶來盼望。聽聽他如何繼續下去,如何的變化。

「創造諸天,鋪張穹蒼,將地和地所出的一併鋪開,賜氣息給地上的眾人,又賜靈性給行在其上之人的上帝耶和華,他如此說:我—耶和華憑公義召你。」雖然祂一開始講的是這位僕人,但後來祂話鋒一轉,開始說,「我—耶和華憑公義召你,必攙扶你的手,保守你,使你作眾民的中保,作外邦人的光,開瞎子的眼,領被囚的出牢獄,領坐黑暗的出監牢。我是耶和華,這是我的名;我必不將我的榮耀歸給假神。」

上帝給悖逆的百姓帶來盼望。上帝應許將賜給悖逆百姓一位絕無僅有的僕人。上帝應許那容易遭受不義的百姓要得到公義。上帝應許百姓要得到他們自己無法成就的救恩。當我們在閱讀這些僕人詩歌時,結合我們對其他聖經書卷的瞭解,我們看到這裡的僕人指的只能是耶穌。在福音書的敘事中,耶穌確實將這裡的一些經文拿來指祂自己。比如施洗約翰說,「那真的是你嗎?」實際上是施洗約翰派祂的門徒去說:「那將要來的是你嗎,還是我們等候別人呢?」

我們知道上帝在這裡告訴我們的,是祂在啓示祂是誰。坦白來說,我們在生活中犯了許多的錯誤,做了太多的誤判,都是因為我們沒有真正了解上帝是誰。我們如果不能對上

帝有正確的認識,就會焦慮、害怕、失去盼望。讓我換一種說法,當我們對上帝有正確的理解時,我們就不需要焦慮、害怕或絕望。我們若不了解上帝是誰,就不能也不會知道什麼是真正的安慰。

你是否在這個世界中苦苦掙扎?也許這是因為你對上帝的看法、也許是因為你在錯誤的地方、錯誤的人和錯誤的結果中尋求安慰。上帝向所有人提供了祂是誰的解釋,沒有任何偶像能跟祂相比。這也揭示了這處經文所包含的一個重要的屬靈真理,那就是上帝拯救的心意藉著祂的所是彰顯出來。

你是否曾因為別人對你誤解而覺得受到不公的判斷?或者我應該換種說法,每個人不是都曾有因被人誤解,而感覺受到不公的判斷嗎?上帝的救恩與祂的身分緊密相連,當你花時間了解上帝和祂是誰時,你就會慢慢對祂有正確的認識。

我知道你肯定想認識上帝,因為你和我們一起在研讀聖經團契中學習。你如果不想認識上帝,就不會來這裡。認識上帝的旅程就像進入大海一樣。你可以從腳趾先踩進海裡開始,可以到腳踝的深度,然後到腰部,或是你可以用盡一生來探索海底的深度。

我們當中有些人可能對現在的位置感到安逸,但我想問你們,是否願意接受上帝的邀請,進到更深之處,越深地認識祂,繼續這個學習之旅?如果你只有一隻腳趾踏入,你是否願意進到腳踝的深度?如果你已經到了腰部,你是否可以再深入到脖子的地方?如果你已經深入到了脖子的深度,你是否願意潛入水中?

我不知道你現在對上帝的看法如何,但我向你保證如果你願意潛到水裡來認識祂,你會找到一位有恩典、慈悲、仁愛、智慧、永恆、公義、永不改變的上帝,你會在這個旅途中認識到上帝之所以願意施行拯救,都是因為祂是誰。祂拯救的心是藉著祂所做的工而成就

More in this series: 

Who was Isaiah?

What was Isaiah’s message?

*This lecture may be used in whole or part by BSF classes or online groups

Hollie Roberts

BSF Executive Director 

Hollie Roberts stepped into the Executive Director role in September 2021 after serving as BSF’s Chief Field Development officer. Hollie and her husband Kevin have two sons, a daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren.

 

Submit a Comment

Our BSF staff approves each comment to maintain privacy and security. It may take 24-48 hours for your comment to be posted. Be sure to check back for replies from the author or other BSF members!

Pin It on Pinterest